With our bicycles securely ensconced on the 6th floor, Rob and I set out into Rome on foot. The rain forecast turned accurate. Rain fell on us for much of the morning. Through the rain we found a metro station for a ride to the far side of Rome, and the Vatican. Our hostel host had recommended the Vatican Museum, so we headed that way, fending off dozens if not hundreds of people trying to sell us “Skip the Line” tickets. As we stood in line, in the driving rain, I could see why. 20 minutes later the line hadn’t moved. Rather than pay more, we decided to return on Monday (in a couple of days) to try to get there early and beat the line.
From there we headed to St. Peter’s Basilica, and another huge line. Photos of the outside suited us both just fine.
Nearby was the Castel Sant’ Angelo, a castle built from a mausoleum of a Roman emperor. The Romans did everything big. Colossally big. On a scale that not only have things remained there for centuries, but even the ruins are so large no one has bothered to knock them down.
After that we wandered, not quite aimlessly, through the city from one tourist sight to another. We waited in line for the Colosseum, and then walked over to the nearby Palatino.
That used up much of the day, and, both weary and knee-sore, we returned to the hostel. Rob settled in for the night, while I made another foray into the city for food, wandering far afield before returning to the hostel via metro.